I'm a tech expert — here's why digital picture frames are my go-to Mother's Day gift

Amazon is home to dozens of off-brand photo frames like this one, with prices typically ranging between $60 and $100. This is representative of those "generics," the frames that all look pretty similar and offer similar specs.

What's notable about this one is that it comes with a detailed and actually helpful printed instruction guide, great for moms who aren't especially tech-savvy. In addition, it relies on an intuitive touchscreen interface, but also leverages the popular Frameo app for adding photos and videos. You can position the frame in portrait or landscape orientation and it'll automatically rotate the image accordingly.

Best of all, while the price often fluctuates wildly, at this writing it's down to just $40. That's an insanely good deal on a product I think Mom will absolutely treasure.

The bigger the photo frame, the easier it is to see from across a room. Of course, that also means a bigger price, but Pastigio's seriously spacious frame is more affordable than most: $130, with sales often dropping it to just $100.

That size jump nets you resolution and storage jumps as well: This 15.6-inch frame delivers 1,920 x 1,080 pixels for a very sharp image and includes 32GB of expandable storage, which is room enough for tens of thousands of pictures. Like the smaller YunQiDeer model, Pastigio's employs the Frameo app for the easy addition of new snapshots.

It also has a remarkably good user rating: 4.7 stars from around 1,600 buyers. And I'll second that: I'm in the middle of testing it, and it's shaping up to be a winner in the "big-screen frame on a budget" category. Mom will love it.

For moms who want a frame that's a little more decor-friendly, the Aura Carver features a stylish grooved bezel (in white or gravel color) that imparts a luxurious look.

But there are some real usability advantages here as well, starting with this: You can pre-load the Carver with photos and even set it up for Mom's Wi-Fi network, meaning it'll be ready to go right out of the box. (Mom will still need the Aura app, though.) I also love that the app flags photos and videos that have already been uploaded to the frame, the better to avoid accidental duplicates. The Frameo app used by the other two frames doesn't do that.

The Carver automatically dims or brightens the screen depending on ambient light and will turn off completely overnight. At $150, it's pricier than the other two, but still an affordable gift for your very deserving mom.